Based on a ton of great feedback that I received — both positive and negative — I’ve made some much-needed tweaks to the slides and even have a follow-up story that happened as a result of my presentation in Boston. VERY exciting stuff and I can’t wait to share it.

I’m a lot less nervous than I was the few days before AEA in Boston because I had no idea what to expect, but I still have to admit that I get a pit in my stomach every time I think about standing up in front of all the amazingly talented and intelligent designers and developers in attendance. I really hope that the stories I have to tell will resonate with people and inspire them to become do-it-yourself user experience designers, no matter what their title.

If you’re at An Event Apart Chicago and you see me from afar, please come over and introduce yourself! The best thing about conferences is all the great new people you get to meet.

And make sure you follow me @whitneyhess for golden nuggets from all of the sessions.

Many thanks to the An Event Apart crew for allowing me to participate in their illustrious conference. It’s a true honor to be a part of it.